Big Mac Salad

Let Me Tell You About This Big Mac Salad (And Why I Keep Making It)

You know, if you told 10-year-old me that I’d someday get my Big Mac fix out of a bowl, I’d have probably rolled my eyes at you. Truth is, though, this “Big Mac Salad” is the one salad my mother and I both agree is actually fun to eat. I cobbled this together the first time out of pure craving (it was one of those days when you want a burger but also can’t button your jeans). Also, I never thought I’d say this about iceberg lettuce, but it does something magical here. Go figure! My nephew calls this “the cheeseburger bowl” and tries to eat around every bit of the lettuce. Suit yourself, right?

Why You’ll Want to Make This

I make this when I just cannot stand the idea of another sad desk salad. My husband legit yells from the other room when he smells the ground beef cooking—it’s one of the few salads he’ll ask for (he even requests extra pickles, the weirdo). This is also handy for those weeknights when I’ve had it up to here with recipes that leave you with three dirty bowls and a grease-splattered counter. Oh, and if you’ve ever wanted all the best parts of a burger without slogging through making buns, this is your golden ticket. (Messy hands are optional, by the way.)

Ingredients (And All My Lazy Substitutes)

• 1 pound ground beef (I sneak in ground turkey sometimes, but purists will tell you it’s not the same)
• Salt & pepper, to taste (I just eyeball it)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (or a handful of chopped real onions if you’re feeling fancy, or lazy… sometimes both)
• 4 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped (Romaine works, but it’s not quite as “drive-thru authentic”)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (sometimes I use regular tomatoes and just chop them sloppily—no one’s noticed)
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (pre-shredded, or go wild and grate it yourself)
• 1/3 cup dill pickles, diced (my grandmother said always use the kind with ridges—I think any pickle does the trick)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (leave it out if onions haunt your dreams)
• 1/2 cup Big Mac-style sauce: 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons relish, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon vinegar (actually, a good squirt of each sort of works in a pinch)

How to Make It (No Judgment If You Wing It a Bit)

1. Brown the ground beef in a big skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and onion powder (or chopped onions). Stir it around until it’s got those lovely brown bits—I sneak a little taste at this point, don’t tell anyone.
2. Set the beef aside to cool. This way your lettuce won’t wilt. (Or, if you’re impatient, toss it right in. It’s fine, really.)
3. Chop up your iceberg lettuce and tumble it into a big salad bowl. Scatter the tomatoes, cheese, pickles, and red onions over the top. Make it look fancy—until someone digs in.
4. Once the beef’s not hot enough to steam your glasses, sprinkle it over the salad. Give it all a little toss so everything gets to know each other.
5. In a small bowl (or a cup if you’re in a rush), whisk together the mayo, ketchup, relish, mustard, and vinegar to make your “special sauce”. Taste it—sometimes I end up adding another squirt of ketchup because why not?
6. Drizzle as much dressing as you like over the salad. Toss again, or not. Some folks spoon the dressing on each plate, but I get impatient and just mix it up.
7. Serve right away with extra pickles on the side if that’s your thing. If not, more for the rest of us.

Notes: Disclaimers From My Kitchen

• Honestly, chopping lettuce with a pizza cutter is my favorite hack. (Try it—just watch your fingers.)
• Sometimes the cheese kind of melts into the beef and it looks like a mess. It’s honestly better that way.
• I’ve forgotten the onions before. No one cared.

Variations I’ve Attempted (And Regretted)

• I once swapped the beef for black beans—I wanted it vegetarian, but the taste was a bit sad for me. Tofu kind of works if you crisp it well!
• Turkey is a lighter option, and my sister-in-law swears by it, but I’m biased toward beef for the “classic burger” flavor.
• Add bacon if you want to go wild. Did not regret that, let me tell you.
• Tried adding avocados once, but it just made things mushy (your mileage may vary).

Equipment: Only the Essentials (Sort Of)

You’ll need a big skillet and a decent salad bowl. Sure, a whisk is nice for the dressing, but I once just shook it all together in a coffee mug. If you don’t have a skillet, I actually did this once in a saucepan—took longer, but it worked.

Storing and Leftovers (If You Have Any…)

Store the beef, salad, and dressing separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. But, honestly? Leftovers rarely last that long here. The lettuce gets a tad soggy if you mix before chilling, so keep things separate if you can. Not the end of the world if you don’t.

How I Like to Serve It

We do family-style, big bowl in the middle of the table, and everyone just digs in with their own forks (sometimes the kids use tortilla chips—I let it slide). One time, I topped mine with crushed up burger buns just for fun. Not traditional, but hey…

Pro Tips (Learned the Hard Way)

• Don’t rush cooking the beef or it turns out oddly chewy. I did this once (thinking I could multitask). Not recommended.
• If you douse the salad in dressing all at once, it does get a little soupy, so add gradually. Unless you love sauce, then ignore me.
• Taste your sauce before tossing. Sometimes it just needs that extra something—maybe it’s just Friday fatigue, but it makes a difference.

FAQ: I’ve Actually Been Asked These (More Than Once)

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yep, but keep everything separate until you’re ready to eat. Lettuce and sauce don’t make great roommates overnight.

Is it really like eating a Big Mac?

Close enough to cure the craving, promise. But with way less guilt. (And, you can use as many pickles as you like.)

Can I make it dairy-free?

Sure thing! Just skip the cheese or use one of those fancy vegan ones (full disclosure: I’m not a fan, but you do you).

I don’t have relish for the dressing. Is that going to ruin things?

Nope! Chop up a few extra pickles and use a tiny bit of sugar. It’s not the exact same but still yummy.

How spicy is it?

Not remotely spicy, unless you sneak in hot sauce—which, now that I think about it, I really should try sometime.

So there you go. Maybe not Michelin-star material, but it’ll scratch that burger itch. If you find yourself humming that Big Mac jingle after your first forkful… hey, happens to the best of us!

★★★★★ 4.60 from 24 ratings

Big Mac Salad

yield: 4 servings

prep: 15 mins

cook: 10 mins

total: 25 mins

All the flavors of a Big Mac, tossed into a crave-worthy salad with seasoned ground beef, crisp iceberg lettuce, zippy pickles, cheddar cheddar cheese, and an easy special sauce—perfect for weeknight dinners or lunch meal-prep.

🖨️ Print Pin Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (I sneak in ground turkey sometimes, but purists will tell you it’s not the same)
• Salt & pepper, to taste (I just eyeball it)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder (or a handful of chopped real onions if you’re feeling fancy, or lazy… sometimes both)
• 4 cups iceberg lettuce, chopped (Romaine works, but it’s not quite as “drive-thru authentic”)
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (sometimes I use regular tomatoes and just chop them sloppily—no one’s noticed)
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (pre-shredded, or go wild and grate it yourself)
• 1/3 cup dill pickles, diced (my grandmother said always use the kind with ridges—I think any pickle does the trick)
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion (leave it out if onions haunt your dreams)
• 1/2 cup Big Mac-style sauce: 1/2 cup mayo, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons relish, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 teaspoon vinegar (actually, a good squirt of each sort of works in a pinch)

Instructions

1. 1
   Brown the ground beef in a big skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, and onion powder (or chopped onions). Stir it around until it’s got those lovely brown bits—I sneak a little taste at this point, don’t tell anyone.
2. 2
   Set the beef aside to cool. This way your lettuce won’t wilt. (Or, if you’re impatient, toss it right in. It’s fine, really.)
3. 3
   Chop up your iceberg lettuce and tumble it into a big salad bowl. Scatter the tomatoes, cheese, pickles, and red onions over the top. Make it look fancy—until someone digs in.
4. 4
   Once the beef’s not hot enough to steam your glasses, sprinkle it over the salad. Give it all a little toss so everything gets to know each other.
5. 5
   In a small bowl (or a cup if you’re in a rush), whisk together the mayo, ketchup, relish, mustard, and vinegar to make your “special sauce”. Taste it—sometimes I end up adding another squirt of ketchup because why not?
6. 6
   Drizzle as much dressing as you like over the salad. Toss again, or not. Some folks spoon the dressing on each plate, but I get impatient and just mix it up.
7. 7
   Serve right away with extra pickles on the side if that’s your thing. If not, more for the rest of us.

CLICK FOR NUTRITION INFO ↑

Approximate Information for One Serving

Serving Size: 1 serving

Calories: 540 caloriescal

Protein: 34gg

Fat: 40gg

Saturated Fat: 0g

Trans Fat: 0g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 0mg

Potassium: 0mg

Total Carbs: 10gg

Fiber: 0g

Sugar: 0g

Net Carbs: 0g

Vitamin A: 0

Vitamin C: 0mg

Calcium: 0mg

Iron: 0mg

Nutrition Disclaimers

Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.

Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.

To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.

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